Assistant Director of Advancement

Position Overview

Cathedral seeks a dynamic, versatile Assistant Director of Advancement to join the Advancement Team. In this role, the successful candidate will execute initiatives led by the Director of Advancement and the President. While working closely in partnership with school volunteers, alumni, and staff, this team member will provide leadership for the advancement program and continue to build a strong culture of philanthropy. Responsible for identifying, soliciting, and stewarding major and planned giving donors and prospects, the successful candidate will build and strengthen relationships with new and current donors to realize philanthropic goals.

About Cathedral

Cathedral High School is a Catholic, urban and coeducational college preparatory school committed to excellence and social justice. Within an environment that encourages our scholars to reach their full potential, Cathedral students are expected to make lasting and powerful impacts in their local, national and global communities. Our mission, since our establishment in 1926, is to deliver a rigorous and holistic education that is available for all families, regardless of ability to pay. Rooted in Gospel values that include compassion, respect and service, we embrace the rich diversity of our community and foster a culture of inclusion, opportunity, acceptance and empowerment.

With approximately 330 grade 7-12 students, Cathedral recently completed a successful $60,000,000 Cathedral Now, Cathedral Forever endowment campaign to secure the long-term viability of their mission. With enrollment up 30 percent over 5 years, the opening of the new Daley Center for Campus Ministry, championship athletic programs and the addition of 9 new AP course over 3 years, Cathedral is primed for an exciting future as it approaches its centennial celebration!

What You Will Do:

• Support the Director and department in developing and implementing strategic efforts related to a multifaceted advancement program that includes annual, capital, major and planned gifts, and endowment fundraising; alumni engagement; donor research and stewardship; events management; foundation and corporate grants.
• Oversee annual giving and constituent relations, including leading alumni outreach, managing alumni ambassadors and increasing participation and giving.
• Grow and manage a portfolio of individual major giving prospects; create a comprehensive strategy for donor cultivation, solicitation and retention; solicit major gifts and partner with the President, Director and volunteers.
• Track prospect and donor activity through a moves management system; meet quarterly benchmarks and goals based on activity with prospects, donors, and annual fundraising goals; enhance operational efficiency by creating and employing processes and systems that align with the reporting requirements of Advancement and the Business Office.
• In coordination with the Director, plan, implement and manage a robust events calendar of fundraising and stewardship events.
• Collect and analyze data on event participation and engagement to inform strategic planning for future events.
• Manage event and annual fund budgets. Provide projections and reports on budgeted revenues and expenses.
• Develop the Student Ambassador Program and prepare students for donor-facing events.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required.

Ideal Candidates Will Need:

• Commitment to Cathedral’s mission and values.
• Demonstrated knowledge of annual giving, major gifts solicitation, special events planning, managing donor relations, and corporate and foundation giving.
• Strong familiarity with development systems and procedural best practices in fundraising.
• Creative thinking and an ability to see new opportunities and reinvent practices that need modernization.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge experience preferred.
• Collaborative approach to supporting leadership and all school constituents.
• Commitment to excellence, attention to detail, organization, and ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously in a dynamic environment.
• Exemplary ability to uphold confidentiality.
• Over 3 years’ experience in fundraising.
• Ability to work some nights and weekends typical to an advancement position.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• This is a full-time, 12-month position.

Application Process:

• Interested applicants should submit a CV and cover letter to Nancy Caruso, Executive Assistant to the President, at ncaruso@cathedralboston.org